Hurricanes Win SSMHL Championship

The Hurricanes celebrate their championship (Photo by Ryan Switzer)

There was no place like home for the Swift Current K-Motel Hurricanes.

They didn't lose all season at Fairview West Arena, and that wasn't about to change in the third and deciding game of the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League Midget AA championship series.

In front of near capacity crowd of passionate fans, the Hurricanes scored early and often in an 8-1 drubbing of the Weyburn Wings. The victory secured their first Bev McKechney Award as league champions.



Dalton Menke played hero as he used his hard shot to score 4 times for Swift Current. His first goal stood up as the winner.

“I still can't take it in it just feels so good,” Menke told The Eagle 94.1 FM's post-game show. “I personally felt good today. I was just getting pucks on the net and they were going in for me so I just kept shooting.”

The Shamrock native ended up with 10 goals in 11 playoff games.

Captain Jayden Roosen started the party for Swift Current as a Reid Fritzke point shot took a friendly hop to him for a goal only 28 seconds into the first period. It was just the tonic for a Hurricanes team that Coach Tim Tisdale said wasn't playing their usual brand of confident hockey in a game 2 loss.

“I think it took the whole first period for us to get that confidence back,” Tisdale said. “Once we had it we could just see our team build off of it. We knew playing with the lead, with this type of crowd... a big assist to the crowd here.”

“Our fans are awesome,” Roosen added. “Playing at home is awesome. We don't lose. Our fans make sure of that.”

Midway through the first period Menke took over with a series of goals to make it 2-0, 3-0, 4-1 and 5-1.

“We weren't a team that was just relying on one or two goals to score as we could score throughout our lineup,” Tisdale said. “But Dalton is a special guy. He's a player that honestly we didn't expect back this year... we were amazed that he wasn't playing AAA this year.”

A pretty goal by Brandon Gauthier, another for Roosen and a late power play goal by George Hudec rounded out the scoring for Swift Current. Veteran forward Hayden Johnston chipped in with 3 assists.

Despite the 8-1 score, one of the keys to victory was the defensive performance by the Roosen, Hudec and Gautheir line against Weyburn's very dangerous top unit of Braden Mellon, Tucker Neuberger and Donovan Lumb.

“That's why you want home ice,” Tisdale said. “It's a huge deal to be able to get that last change. We put (Ryan) Svenson and Fritzke on defence against that line and Svenson has a little bit more speed... and it really worked well for us.”

Kyle Garland was solid in the Hurricanes' goal including a penalty shot save on Weyburn's only goal scorer in game 3, Cole Sjostrand. The Hurricanes kept their rotation of Garland and Logan Tisdale all throughout the playoffs.

As dominant as Swift Current was in the Midget AA league, the season wasn't without adversity. They battled significant injuries and were dealt a tough blow with a first round provincials loss against the Notre Dame Argos.

The Hurricanes bounced back by beating the Argos in the first round of league playoffs. They also toppled Lumbsden/Bethune on their way to the battle with Weyburn.

“It's a different group,” Tisdale said. “This group was so easy going, so relaxed, that (the coaches) just had to relax ourselves. Some of the things that I would have really insisted on happening in past coaching I just had to give up and say this is the way the group is reacting, this is what the group wants, let's give it a chance and let it form.”

Swift Current also found a way to win the championship without picking up a single playoff road win in three tries. They only lost seven games in total all season.

The fans join in on the celebration (Photo by Ryan Switzer)

FUTURE WATCH

Now fans wait to see if championship success will lead to opportunities at other levels of hockey for the Hurricanes.

According to Tisdale, Fritzke and Trenton Zakaluzny are likely going to play with the Midget AAA Home Hardware Legionnaires in Swift Current next season. He also believes goaltender Logan Tisdale will get a good opportunity at the Midget AAA level after posting the top goals against average in the MIdget AA league.

Menke told The Eagle 94.1 FM's post-game show that he would like to take a run at a junior roster next season, but if he doesn't make it he will instead play Midget AAA. And after beating Weyburn's Midget AA team in the league final, Roosen will be trying to crack the SJHL's Weyburn Red Wings next fall.

The team picture (Photo by Colin Powers)

Highlights From Last Nights Game


Post-game Interview With Coach Tim Tisdale


Post-game Chat With Dalton Menke


Post-game media scrum with Jayden Roosen


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